Requiescat in pace
by Tanda3467
Summary: The conversation between Lelouch and CC a few hours before Zero Requiem.I've tried to keep it in accordance to their personalities.Sad and depressing, hence the rating. The title means "Rest in peace" in latin. Major spoilers for the ending.


**Such unique charecters. what would a conversation between them before the death of one of them would look like? Do not read if you have not watched the ending. It is purely based on the assumption that Lelouch really does die. **

* * *

"So you are leaving, huh?" she asked quietly looking at Lelouch from the couch, where she was lying, her gaze on the ceiling, a vacant expression on her face.

"Yes…you already know it." he replied, from across the room, where he was absently staring out a window, one hand holding back the curtains.

It was the morning of the day Zero Requiem was to take place. Suzaku had already gone to the selected location, waiting for the procession to pass. Lelouch was to leave the moment he got the call from Lord Jermiah informing him that the prisoners had been brought & everything was ready to proceed.

"Yeah I do, but it seems more real only if I hear it from you" she got up from the couch and went to where he stood, one hand brushing carelessly through her hair.

"I see…" he turned to look at her smirking slightly…"Then would you like to come with me?" he asked, dropping back the curtains, plunging the room in a cool shadowy darkness….

"You can easily escape in the chaos. Besides it would seem even more real if u _see_ it." he added, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Of course, he knew the answer, but like her, he wanted to make her say it. He was curious to see her reactions.

"No" she said softly, more to herself."I do not want to see it."

That was OK; he didn't want her to come with him anyway. Still he asked…

"Why? Being an immortal, you must be quiet used to seeing deaths by now. Then why should mine be any different?"

Yes, that's true .Then why indeed? She asked herself.

It was not uncommon for her to see people die.

In fact she was so used to it by now, that seeing a death; even a gory one brought no particular emotion to her, no sadness, no fear, not even disgust.

Then why?

She stood before him, studying his tired face, looking into the liquid amethyst eyes.

Maybe because she couldn't see him in any more pain than this.

"No, I don't want to see" she again repeated.

"It's all right, I understand" he said softly, in a tone that was carefully maintained to be casual.

But C.C was quick enough to notice it.

Even though Lelouch was assuming a nonchalant attitude, even being his usual sarcastic self, she could see the pain in those eyes. The lines of suffering & sorrow etched onto the tired face. She knew how much his tormented soul ached, how much agony he bore, how he longed for relief.

The worst part was, he couldn't even show it.

To the world he was a tyrant, a cruel dictator, a symbol of sin & hatred. To maintain it, he had to assume the haughty & indignant air of one who has the entire world under his feet.

But now that everything was going to end, it must be alright for him to be himself again, at least in front of her.

"Give it up, Lelouch"

"What?" he asked puzzled.

"This aloofness you are feigning"

For a moment Lelouch looked as though someone had struck him on the face. Taken aback by the suddenness of the truth she was speaking.

"Stop pretending Lelouch. I know you."

He was silent for a moment, staring at her.

She was right. Of course she knew him, probably better than he himself did.

And yeah, he _had _been feigning aloofness to everyone, even Suzaku. He had to assume a careless attitude in front of him; otherwise Suzaku would never be able to kill him.

But in truth he actually felt depressed; sad that he had to give up so much just to create a normal world…..he even felt a little nervous.

Not that he was afraid to die & masking it from Suzaku. Far from it….he welcomed death…looked forward to it….not in a suicidal or cowardly way….but much like the way a thoroughly exhausted worker looks forward to the end of the day.

Because that's how he felt….drained, exhausted….

Still he was a human too and it's not a crime to feel a little upset before being murdered.

But C.C was different.

In front of her, he could be himself again.

He gave a small sigh and smiled faintly at her.

"Perhaps you are right" he said quietly…

"Lelouch, why are you doing this?"

He went over and sat down on the edge of his bed, hands crossed in front of him.

"I'm not doing this because I want to" he said in the same quiet voice "I'm doing it because… it needs to be done and no one will do it."

She went over to stand beside him and gently put her hand on his shoulder, the touch seemed to relax him a little, and he looked up at her smiling slightly.

"Why do you bother Lelouch, when no one else will?"

"This cycle has to be broken C.C, someone has to do it; otherwise we'll all be destroyed, including me. So it's better this way, even if I'm destroyed there are people who will remain happy."

"Yes… I suppose you are right" she said softly sitting beside him.

Again she studied his face, the fair smooth skin, ages away from wrinkling, untouched by time…. how young he was; just a little older than a boy… too young to be the Emperor of the world, too young to be the vessel for its sins….how so very young, she thought sadly.

Slipping her hand over his waist, she pulled him nearer, resting her head on his shoulders.

"Lelouch, do you really wish to die?" she asked in a husky voice tinged with regret.

He sighed quietly and closed his eyes.

"What does it matter now C.C? My wish is not going to change anything." He said in a bitter tone.

She straightened to look at him.

"Why won't you take my code, if you want to live so much?" she asked, almost challenging him.

He smirked, a bit of his old self again.

"Isn't dying once bad enough?" he asked scathingly "Do you think I'd be foolish enough to do it again and again?"

"You are so cunning" she said almost laughing. Of course she knew Lelouch was too clever to be fooled into taking the code.

"That's why, I am Lelouch." He said in the same haughty tone C.C had used in the cave when he had called her selfish.

Now she did laugh and he joined in.

But it was a short and broken laughter, dying away to silence as the light cast into an ocean dies away to darkness.

Of course what was there to laugh about? Even teasing each other was strain full… there was no use pretending to be normal….Silence seemed a better companion….

So they sat like that…in silence.

"I wonder if Nunnally will be alright…." he said after a while…

"She will be." She said reassuringly putting, her hand on top of his, holding it gently.

"You don't know how glad I was C.C, when she opened her eyes. How glad I was" He said passionately in a tight voice… "I was so glad…so glad that I could see her eyes …" he stopped unable to go on.

"I know…she would feel happy too, later, that she was able to see your face. Besides you can give her a much better life this way."

A dark ironic smile twisted his lips…"Yeah it seems I can be of more use to her dead than alive" he said darkly…

Once again there was silence, broken only by the sounds of their breathing.

"What's it like to die?" he wondered after a while, asking no one in particular… "How much does it hurt?"

He was starring ahead, a far off look on his face…

It hurt C.C to watch him talk this way; he looked pale, worn out, almost ill …how much pain he had endured so far, still he was ready to take the blow… she looked at him with a mixture of admiration & compassion.

"It won't hurt more than your life, Lelouch" she said her voice almost cracking…

He lifted his head to look at her, a bitter half smile rippling across the shimmering violet pools…

"Will it be peaceful?" he asked her quietly, almost wistfully….

For a moment he looked so vulnerable; like a child…it tore her apart…

She looked at him with so much sorrow welling inside her that she could almost feel tears stinging her eyes, even surprising herself.

Its better this way, she told herself. Atleast his pain will end.

She reached out and took him in her arms, cradling his head against her chest, she gently smoothed his hair.

"Yes Lelouch, it'll be peaceful" she said softly..."With such sacrifice as this you can only find peace"

His eyes closed; he completely shut out everything from his mind, allowing himself to be engulfed in her gentle embrace.

There was silence; absolute and complete like death itself. It blanketed them in its strange, comforting way…...

* * *

The phone rang shrilly, cutting through the silence like a blade cutting through flesh; startling them both.

Lelouch didn't have to answer the phone to know what it was, but he answered it anyway.

"Everything is ready, your majesty" it was Jermiah's voice.

"It's time to lead the prisoners to their execution" he said solemnly

Lead them to _my _execution, Lelouch thought bitterly.

"Yes I'll be there presently" he answered in his controlled voice.

"Master…" Jermiah said hesitantly "Master you…" … he faltered

"Don't worry, I'll be fine" Lelouch said in an even tone…

But he couldn't help smiling at the irony of the words _'I'll be fine' _huh?

"Lelouch, you… you were like my son…" he fumbled clumsily….

"I know…" Lelouch said …"You have been very loyal to me. I am grateful. Please help me this one last time."

"I will master, but…." he was struggling with something….

"What?"

"Your…your body…how…what do you want to do with it?"

He felt slightly irritated that Jermiah asked him this.

He knew his grave wouldn't b a peaceful place to rest, but a pit of shame. He also knew he wouldn't reach there unscathed. The people would tear and spit and mutilate his body until...until he was unrecognizable..."_No" _he screamed internally_"Don't think about it"_... There was a small comfort that he wouldn't be alive when they do this; still thinking about his body was depressing....

Lelouch sighed… "Please don't ask me about it" he said wearily…" Do what you want… I don't care what happens to my body after I die…."

"Yes master" he said obediently.

"Right, I will be there"

"Yes, I will be waiting to escort you"

"Okay"

"Farewell my son, May…May God bless you"

"Thank you, Lord Jermiah. Farewell" he said cutting the phone...

* * *

"I have to leave" he said in a hollow voice; looking at her, trying to appear calm….

But in spite of his self-assured demeanor, he was clearly nervous, uneasy. His whole body was stiff, every fiber suddenly alert; his breathing considerably quickened and for a moment there was something else; a flicker of fear in his eyes.

"It'll be over soon." She said taking hold of his hand….

She had to comfort him; she couldn't let him go in this state. She started saying something else, but closed her mouth after looking at him.

He had closed his eyes and was taking a few deep breaths in an effort to calm himself.

In his mind he started counting from 1 to 10. Something he always did to calm himself. He counted slowly and deliberately; pronouncing each syllable clearly in his mind.

When he finished he really was considerably calmer.

After all, it was a fate he had accepted long ago. He got up.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, getting up; the golden yellow orbs gazing at him searchingly.

"I feel a lot better" he said truthfully, smiling a little..."I think I'm ready now"

"You think?" she raised her eyebrows

He smirked

"No, I _am_ ready" he said meeting her gaze with his own steady, unwavering one...

"You can do it."

"I know"

She leaned forward and lightly kissed him on the lips.

"I shall miss you" she said pulling back...

"Really?"

"Yes, I shall miss your strategies, chess, your _stupid_ pride and most certainly your sarcasm"

He grinned…

"And yeah I shall miss that grin too" she added

"Atleast you are not glad to be rid of me" he said with his usual sarcasm...

"Should I be?" she asked mockingly

"Who knows? I may haunt you depending on it"

They laughed; their laughter dying away to a smile....a sad smile...

"Can I ask you something?" she asked quietly...

"What?"

"Will you smile when you do it?"

"Huh?" he looked at her surprised...

"Yes, will you smile? Like you asked me to, in the world of C . Will you do it for me as a parting gift?"

"I promise C.C, I will smile. I won't be sad or angry. I am not going to be killed by my enemy. It's my best friend who will kill me and that too because I asked him to. I can only smile when it happens" he said quietly.

She took his hand in hers….." I will pray for you" she said gently…

"Thank you"

Reaching out she placed her other hand on his forehead, brushing back the thick locks of his jet black hair.

Her touch was soft, gentle…soothing; spreading like salve over a wound… he closed his eyes.

"Rest in peace, Lelouch" she said softly…

"I will" he said, eyes still closed…

She looked at him for one last time, taking in all of his details…the thin frame; the raven black hair; the smooth alabaster skin and the glassy purple eyes... she registered all of it in her memory...well forever...

"Farewell Lelouch" she said releasing his hand…

He smiled softly at her…

"Farewell C.C"

He turned away from her and walked out of the room without so much as a backward glance…

She stood staring after him, regal, graceful; every aura of majesty and dignity…born to command, born to be obeyed, born to rule: a born prince.

She smiled sadly...

What an ideal companion he was; she thought wistfully. Intelligent, dignified, mature…so unlike other humans…. a perfect combination… _witch and the devil_...How much she wished he was an immortal, he would have made life so much more bearable….but now that he was gone, she wondered what she would do…..

She was tired of humans, she didn't want to have anything to do with them anymore; besides watching them curse and hate Lelouch was too painful…no she wouldn't interact with them...

Besides she wouldn't give the geass to anyone anymore; she wouldn't spread that power; but bear it herself. Bear immortality just like how Lelouch had borne all the sins....sealing herself and the geass from humanity forever...

She would go away, somewhere far from civilization; far from society and try living alone, in peace; with these memories…

She smiled sadly; shaking her head she started walking to find an unused church to pray for him in isolation…

* * *

_Per istam Sanctam Unct__i__onem indu'lgeat tibi Dominus quidquid deliqu'sti. Amen._

END

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**Author's notes:**

I've tried my best to keep up with C.C & Lelouch's nature. Worked really hard on it.

A good praise/critiqe is the best gift an author can get. So please comment & review.


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